Ministering via Text Messaging

To avoid spam and robocalls, I’m selective with who receives my cell number. Instead, I use Google Voice as my primary phone number. I’ll list that when needing to give out a phone number on paper and online forms. Nevertheless, telemarketers and fraudsters occasionally call me. I refuse to answer if I don’t recognize the incoming phone number. If it’s someone I need to talk to, they can leave a message for me to call them back. I also state in my outgoing voicemail for both numbers that they are registered with the National Do Not Call Registry.

Yesterday while online with my laptop, I noticed someone mistakenly sent a text intended for another person to my Google Voice number. At first, I replied by telling the sender they had the wrong number. Then I realized this was a witnessing opportunity. Here’s how the exchange of messages went (my comments are in bold):


Maria, how was your trip to Virginia?

You have the wrong number. I'm not Maria.

I'm lsabella, don't you remember me?

I don't know who you are but do you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior?

Wasn't this the number Maria had been using?

I already told you there is no Maria at this number. Once again, do you know Jesus?

I'm sorry, I hope I'm not intruding on your life it's my fault for entering the wrong number

No problem. Jesus loves you!


Thank you, you are a good and kind person

You're welcome. I am a minister. Part of my job is to share the gospel with people. If you want to make sure you will spend eternity in heaven, please read this article I wrote. https://docs.google.com/document/d/1oH4UwhlpA-pJasMYEkzLycWtCo-2n0RWJ-GgS-pnLk8


Sorry, do you use telegram?

No I don't. In case you cannot open the link, I will copy and paste the article here [below I posted an abbreviated version]…

If you died right now, where would you spend eternity? If your answer is “Heaven,” then why would God let you in there? If you think it’s because you have been a good person, that won’t get you past the pearly gates. All of us have committed sins like telling lies and disobeying our parents. James 2:10 says, “For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.”

Some people claim that nobody knows for sure they will go to heaven. But 1 John 5:12-13 tells us, "He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life. These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, that you may know that you have eternal life...

Eternal life or salvation is a gift from God. But it is not something that you can earn by being good. Ephesians 2:8-9 says, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

Regardless of what you have done in the past, you can receive God's free gift of salvation by making Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior. Romans 10:9-10 says, "...if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved. For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation."

You can be sure of having eternal life by saying the following prayer out loud:


"God in Heaven, I know I'm a sinner and I need Your help. I believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross for my sins and rose again from the dead. Jesus, come into my heart, make Yourself real to me, cleanse me and protect me with Your precious blood, fill me with the Holy Spirit, keep me away from sin, be my Lord and Savior. Amen.”


Haha, I will never be a child of Jesus because I have made many mistakes, I didn't kill and set fire to people, but I know that my sins cannot be forgiven by Jesus. Jesus doesn't like people who lie, Jesus doesn't like people who cheat others, but I've done all of these things, so Jesus won't forgive me and Jesus won't accept me as his child

Did you know that God will forgive murderers? Moses killed an Egyptian in a premature attempt to free his people from slavery. God still used Moses to lead the Israelites out of Egyptian bondage and later presented them with the Ten Commandments. Saul of Tarsus was a Christian killer before God knocked him off his horse and later inspired “Paul” to write over half of the New Testament. Ever heard of David Berkowitz...the “Son of Sam” killer from the 1970’s? Ten years after he was jailed, David became a born-again Christian. David may spend the rest of his life behind bars but spiritually he is a free man. John 8:32 says, “And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."

Eternal life is available to anyone who asks for it. Romans 10:13 says, “For whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” That includes you. :)

I hope so, because I was born in a very poor family and because I wanted to make a good living for my family, I came out to work at the age of sixteen and did a lot of jobs, making money became my only way out, and on the way to make money I used unscrupulous things, cheating people

I also lied, cheated, and stolen before asking Jesus to be my Lord and Savior. He forgave me and my life hasn’t been the same since. If you say the prayer I sent you earlier and mean it in your heart, the Lord will make you a brand new person. “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

Thank you for the conversation, I just want my family to be safe and sound so they can enjoy as much good life as possible.


(End of conversation)


I didn’t feel led to continue the exchange of messages. At the very least, it was a seed planting opportunity. I pray for more laborers to water the seeds planted in this person’s heart.


“I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase.” - 1 Corinthians 3:6

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